Carthage
by Lil Sweet Thing
Summary: Follows Scroff: Sinbad and his crew travel to Carthage to deliver a passenger. Sinbad's plans for a quick visit unravels as he comes across an old "friend". His patience is tested as he struggles to leave that port with all of his crew on deck.
1. Chapter 1

**Ready for another adventure? This is only the beginning. The crew starts off in Baghdad and will be setting sail to Carthage soon enough. Enjoy!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

_Baghdad_

"I do not envy ye going to Carthage, Sinbad."

Sinbad stood across from his old friend, Brom, Captain Brom to be exact. There were standing at one of the high tables outside the _Thirsty Whale_, a popular tavern located in the heart of Baghdad. Popular enough that the barkeep had no choice but to allow his tables to overflow onto the street in front of his building; especially during his busy hours. The seating and tables were roped off, of course, to ensure that they were being occupied by patrons of the _Thirsty Whale_.

Sinbad was not surprised to run into familiar faces here, for Baghdad was a busy port for many sailors. Where he and Brom stood, he recognized a few other Captains and their crew members amongst the crowd. He could see a few of his own crew near, catching up with old friends or perhaps making new ones. He smiled at the man in front of him and took a sip of his ale before speaking. "I do not envy me as well. When was the last you've been there?"

Brom's eyes squinted in thought. "About two months now. It is more recent than I care to admit. It's gotten worst there, my friend. It's best that you make your stay as short as possible."

"Are you trying to scare me?" Sinbad replied. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Brom gave out a hearty laugh. "I am only trying to be a good friend!" He then took a swig of his own ale.

"Sinbad doesn't scare easily."

Brom's eyes shifted to their visitor and smiled at the sight of her. "I would imagine so." He stood aside to greet her with a kiss to the cheek. "You look well, Bryn." He gestures towards their table. "Join us?"

"Yes, please." Bryn maneuvered her way around the table to stand next to Sinbad. She felt him place a hand at the small of her back as soon as she stepped closer.

Brom now faced the both of them and noticed something he didn't quite notice before. Sinbad and Bryn shared a look that was most telling. He was sure that Sinbad's eyes soften as he looked at her and a smile that could only be given to woman was on his face for a brief moment. _Is that an arm around her waist? _Brom held back his own smile and tongue at what he just discovered between these two friends.

"What conversation did I just rudely intrude on?" Bryn smiled at Brom and Sinbad.

Brom answered quickly. "I was warning your Captain about Carthage." He tilted his cup towards Sinbad. "I do hope he takes mind of what I have said so far."

"I've never been there." Bryn stated. She didn't understand what the problem was. "Is warning needed?"

Brom raised his eyebrows and pointed a finger at Sinbad, ignoring her question. "You better keep her by your side at all times if you know what's good for her." _Although, I am sure that wouldn't be a problem._ He thought to himself.

"How much worse could have it gotten?" Sinbad asked his friend. He leaned forward towards the middle of the table, truly curious.

Brom leaned forward as well to answer his question. "The second your ship is nestled into their harbor, the guards start barking orders at you as if they own you. They come aboard without permission, order you to line up your crew for their ridiculous inspection, and they even have the audacity to search your ship!" He slammed his hand hard on the wooden table in frustration. "It's really quite violating, if you ask me, Captain to Captain." He gave a heavy sigh as he straightened his posture. "It's as if you are guilty of some crime you have no idea that you committed. Questioning you and your crew to no end. You can't get any work done timely there."

"How do they manage to get people to stay?" Bryn asked.

"Once you pass the guards approval, it's a whole other story. The city of temptation is what I like to call it." Brom admitted. "Although, I think it only entices a certain kind of man or woman." He could see that Bryn was unsure of what he was referring to. He reached across the table and gave her a pat on the hand. "You will see." He promised her with a wink.

Bryn shrugged and gave them both an uncertain look. "I think I am the one that is more nervous about it now." The table, including herself, shared laughed about what became of the subject.

Sinbad gently nudged her shoulder with his own. "Don't worry. We will be fine. It's not the most hospitable port, but we will manage. We will only be there for a day or two."

"There is one other thing I should probably inform you, Sinbad." Brom waited for Sinbad to meet his eyes. "The Captain of the Guard in Carthage is no other than RJ."

"Riley?" Sinbad confirmed.

Brom nodded his head. "He will be eager to step foot on your deck, no doubt. Whatever business you have there, be sure to have your paperwork ready. RJ can be quite an irritant when things don't go smoothly. I think he takes everyone's precious time making sure everything is in his order to relieve himself from boredom."

"Who's RJ?" Bryn looked to Sinbad for an answer. "An old friend of yours?"

"Friend may not be the correct term." Sinbad replied, about to take a gulp of his ale. "We don't necessarily see eye to eye."

Brom smiled and shook his head as his mind went to the past. "RJ had hopes to steal The Nomad from Captain Sinbad here back in the day." He could not suppress his laugh at the memory. "He succeeded too!"

Bryn had to smile. "Is that so?"

"For only a day." Sinbad informed her pointedly. "Never again will I trust that man." He glanced at Bryn and could tell that she wanted to know more about it.

Brom got both their attentions when he slammed his now empty mug onto the table. "I need a refill. I will buy us all another round." He left them with a smile as he made his way inside the tavern in aims for the bar.

Bryn turned to Sinbad and spoke more quietly. "Are you worried?"

Sinbad smiled down at her and pulled her closer to him. "I'm fine." He gave her a reassuring smile. Realizing that they had a moment to themselves, he consoled her concern with a small kiss to her cheek. Afterwards he leaned towards her to place a delicate kiss at the base of her neck. He brought his lips close to her ear to whisper. "Do you think I can manage to steal you away before the nights end?" He was hoping to finally get some alone time with her before returning to the ship. It seemed they had very little of that during the past few weeks at sea and he wanted to right that.

Bryn tickled by his touch and his little public display of affection, stifled her laugh before answering. "I think you can manage anything once you set your mind to it." She whispered back.

Sinbad saw a challenge in her eyes and silently accepted it. He was leaning in to kiss that smirk off her face when he heard his name being bellowed from the tavern door. _Of course. _He gave a small sigh of defeat. He could recognize his own brother's voice anywhere. As he turned his head towards the entrance, he could see that Doubar was making his way towards them with a friend in tow; an old friend that he hasn't seen in a very long time.

Bryn wasn't surprised at the interruption. She knew Sinbad had many friends in Baghdad that always seem to seek his company. She also knew that catching up with them was important to Sinbad as well. "I am going to see if Captain Brom needs any help." She whispered to him before taking a step away. She glanced up at him and could see that he looked torn. She tried to give him an assuring smile that told him that she wasn't going anywhere.

xxxx

As she made her way through the crowd, her gaze was downcast in thought. She wondered about Carthage; thought about all that Brom just shared with them. He mentioned an inspection of the crew was to be administered on deck. _What for?_ She pondered. She didn't believe Sinbad when he simply stated that he was 'fine'. Sometime during that conversation, she could tell that he grew more tense.

"Bryn! Over here!"

A woman's voice called out to her a few tables down from where she was walking. It was Anna, one of Brom's crew members. Anna was one of the two women that Brom hired on to work on his ship. Having a similar life style, Bryn and Anna have become good friends.

Bryn greeted her with a smile and they exchanged hugs. "How are you, Anna?"

"I am just dandy." Anna replied. She looked Bryn over up and down. "You look rather fetching in that skirt! I love that dark blue color." She reached out and touched the fabric for moment. "Your hair looks nice up too. How do you keep the boys at bay?" She teased. Anna was not much for wearing skirts. She grew up more like a boy and never felt comfortable in them. She opted to wear leather pants and a cropped top while at sea.

"I can handle myself." Bryn replied back with a smile.

"Of course you can. You've got one of the best swordsmen on your ship to teach ya. Speaking of which, I just ran into Rongar moments ago. He is looking as handsome as ever! How is life and the boys on The Nomad? " She gestured for Bryn and her to sit down at the nearest long bench behind them.

"It seems there is something new every day." Bryn replied honestly. "Life on The Nomad is an adventure."

"I can understand that." Anna smiled. "How is Captain Sinbad? Getting himself into trouble these days? Arguing with traders? Saving damsels in distress?"

"All of the above." Bryn smiled. She pointed over her shoulder. "He's outside if you want to see him."

"I will wait till him comes to me." Anna winked. "I don't go to _any_ man."

"Ah! There ya are!" Brom seemed to have come out of nowhere. He placed a full mug of ale in front of Bryn. "As promised."

"Thank you, Captain." Bryn smiled up at him. She was distracted by Anna enough that she forgot to help him with the drinks.

"Now where is mine?" Anna raised her voice.

Brom placed another mug on the table. "Take this one. I will get Sinbad another."

Anna laughed. "Oh! I was only kidding." She pushed the mug towards him but he refused to accept it back.

"No, no, no. You drink it." Brom smiled. "It will give me a good excuse to speak with that lovely bartender over there. You two catch up. Do whatever you women do. Talk!"

Both of the girls laughed as he made his way back towards the bar.


	2. Chapter 2

**This is a bit of a shorter entry - just didn't want to leave anyone hanging for too long. I am still writing! Comments are very much welcome!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

Later into the evening, Firouz found Sinbad making his way back inside the tavern with Captain Brom right behind him. "Oh! There you are." He stopped right in front of them and gestured over his shoulder. "Doubar is not looking so good. Some of us are going to head back to the ship."

There was amusement in his eyes when Sinbad spoke to both Firouz and Brom. "Doubar must have went a little overboard tonight with his spirits."

"Uhh...He is not the only one." Firouz spoke over his shoulder as he continued back inside. "You two might want to check on Bryn…and Anna." He crossed his arms in front of him and placed a hand over his mouth to cover his smile as he took in the scene in ahead of them.

From where they entered, they could see Anna seated upon Doubar's lap trying to urge him to drink from her mug. All Doubar could do was shake his head in protest. They could hear Anna giggling between her efforts. They were seated along one of the long wooden benches closer to the bar. Bryn was seated at the opposite end of the table. Talking with a man neither Firouz nor Sinbad recognized. At that moment they watched him stand, take hold of her hands and pull her up. From the way she stood up and nearly lost her balance, you could tell she may have had a little too much to drink. The man kept a hold of one of her hands and nodded his head towards the exit. Bryn shook her head no at the invitation, but he still tugged on her arm to follow.

"Is he one of yours?" Sinbad asked Brom more roughly than he intended to.

Brom shook his head. "Nope."

"Good." Sinbad replied. "Firouz, you and Rongar see that Doubar makes it back to the ship." He ordered without taking his eyes off of Bryn. "I will be there soon."

"Aye, Captain." Firouz replied. He looked at Brom for some help with Anna. He didn't have to ask.

"Anna!" Brom called out to her as he approached. "My god! Anna get up! It looks like he is about to be sick." He watched her rolls her eyes in annoyance and slowly stand up.

"He will be fine, Brom." Anna exclaimed with a giddy smile. "It's Doubar. He's strong!"

"I am okay." Doubar groaned as he slowly stood up. "I think I am done for the night though." He placed a hand on the table for a moment and shook his head to clear his senses. "Just a bit tired now."

"Let's go back to The Nomad." Firouz suggested calmly. He and Rongar walked along both sides of him just in case their support was needed. This was not unfamiliar territory to them. The last time Doubar was like this, some support was needed. His stride was not steady, nearly walking into the people around them.

"Where's Sinbad?" Doubar spoke loudly. He tried to crane his neck to scope out the room for his brother but immediately felt a wave of dizziness and stopped.

"He is getting Bryn." Firouz answered. "They are about to head back too. Let's go."

xxxx

"Generally, when a woman shakes her head like that, it means 'no'." Sinbad informed the man that still had his hand on Bryn. He stood in his path with his arms crossed; his stance wide and firm.

The man eyed Sinbad for moment. "Step aside. This isn't your business." He said gruffly.

"I am making it my business." Sinbad spoke in a threatening voice.

At that moment, Bryn pulled her hand free from the man's grasp and took a step back. The man looked to Bryn and back to Sinbad. "Who are you?" He asked irritated by his interference.

"I'm her Captain." Sinbad replied firmly. "The name is Sinbad."

The man smirked. "I always like to know the name of the man I am fighting." He brought a hand to the hilt of his sword, ready to pull it out, but was distracting by Brom's booming voice behind him.

"Don't be a fool, boy!" Brom strode closer with his hand on his own sword, prepared for any trouble.

"There will be no sword play in this tavern!" The bar keeper hollered to all three of them. He gave Sinbad a look of warning and worry.

"We were just leaving." Sinbad informed the bar keeper.

Bryn on the other hand, knew that he was talking to her. She stepped around the man and gave him an apologetic look. All she could think to say was, "Good night." Sinbad reached a hand out to her and she took it.

The man let out a dissatisfied growl as he turned and walked towards the bar. Sinbad and Brom kept their eyes on him as they heard him demand for another drink. The bar keep shook his head.

"Are you okay, Anna?" Bryn peered over Sinbad's shoulder. "You're not looking too well."

Anna was seated on a nearby bench with her head between her knees. She let out a small moan. "I think I am going to be sick." She let out a little whimper.

Brom looked at Anna and then to Sinbad. "I will take care of her." He gave his friend a smile and nodded towards Bryn. She was relying on Sinbad's body for support to stand without realizing it. Sinbad had a firm arm around her tiny waist. "You should probably get her back to your ship too."

"I will do that." Sinbad looked down at Bryn and saw her give him a small smile. He cleared his throat and looked back up at Brom. "You have a good rest of your night. Good luck with Anna."

Brom laughed. "If don't see you before you catch that evening tide tomorrow, you have a safe journey. Good luck in Carthage."

"Thank you. I will need it." Sinbad replied. He nodded his head in appreciation before turning his attention back to Bryn.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you love this chapter! Please let me know what you think! Enjoy! More to come...**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

Sinbad had a protective arm around Bryn while they made their way slowly back to his ship. He could feel the weight of her body shift against him when she raised her hand to her temple. A small moan escaped her lips. He looked down at her concerned. "Are you okay, Bryn?"

"Ohhh! This is all Anna's doing." Bryn winced. She swayed as she spoke. She felt her sense of balance was lacking. She stumbled against him and then attempted to straighten. She mumbled a quiet apology as she took another step forward.

Sinbad suppressed his laugh. He held on to her a little more tighter. She was probably right about Anna's part in this. He thought back about the last time he ran into Brom and his crew. The girls were found in similar states by the end of that evening. A common occurrence when they are together, he discovered. Thankfully, Bryn never gets to the point of being sick like Anna usually does. He guessed Bryn never felt the need to catch up to her rounds. "Don't worry about it. Let's just get you on to the ship so you can lay down." He said softly. He paused for a moment. "Who was that guy anyways?"

"Who?" Bryn shook her head confused for a moment. "Oh! Him! I have no idea! Anna's friend I am guessing. She left me alone with him. I am not sure why." She let out a small laugh. "Actually, I think she may have a little thing for Doubar."

Sinbad raised an eyebrow at the idea and understood her meaning. He was surprised when Bryn abruptly stopped in her track. She placed a hand on his chest to stop him from moving forward. She looked up at him curious. "Didn't you say you wanted to see me earlier?"

Sinbad smiled. "Yes, I was hoping to steal some of your time, but that can wait."

Bryn gave him a wide smile. "I've got time now." She informed him slowly as she stepped closer into him.

Sinbad could feel her breath on his lips and was tempted to kiss her right then and there in the middle of the road. Her fingers fumbled with the fabric of the front of his shirt; sometimes touching his bare skin. She stood with her eyes on his. "Bryn, I really think…" He stopped midsentence as she leaned in and placed soft kisses on his neck. He didn't expect this.

"God, you smell good." Bryn whispered more to herself as she trailed kisses on the base of his neck.

As much as Sinbad wanted to see where this was going, he knew this wasn't the time or place. Also he knew she was not herself. He took hold of both of her hands and forced himself to take a small step back. He made eye contact with her. "Bryn, we need to get back to the ship." He told her. She looked up at him sadly and nodded her head in understanding. He saw her look of disappointment. "Don't look at me like that." He warned. He stared down at her until he couldn't take it anymore. He sighed with frustration. He knew he couldn't help himself and wasn't sure when the next time they would have a moment for themselves. He took her face in his hands and started kissing her on the lips and she returned his actions eagerly.

Somewhat aware of their surroundings, while still kissing her, he placed his hands on her hips and gently pushed her into the cover of the trees. He felt her smile against his lips and heard her laugh as she reached up and circled her arms around his neck. Satisfied that they were well hidden from any one that would pass them, he circled her waist with his arms and kissed her hard. She reacted with a low moan coming from the back of her throat and opened her mouth to him. When he felt her tongue brush his, he lost his control and effortlessly lifted her off her feet. Bryn continued to kiss him as she wrapped her legs around his waist. Sinbad let his eyes off of Bryn for a second to see the nearest tree behind her. Without giving it much thought, he carried her and pressed her up against that tree to kiss her more thoroughly.

Bryn responded to his kiss and let her body relax as Sinbad held on to her. With one arm still around his neck, she let her other hand glide over his shoulder and towards the center of his chest. Even from that small touch she could feel the strength of him. She found the fabric of the front of his shirt again and curled her fingers around it. She felt overwhelmed by her senses and what she was feeling; which made it incredibly hard to think. All she knew was that she was with Sinbad, he smelled amazing, and that he was kissing her in a way he's never done before. It felt so intense and she didn't want him to stop.

As their lips parted for air, he heard her whisper his name. He opened his eyes and looked at her. His blue eyes found hers and trailed down to her swollen lips. A smile slowly spread across his face. He thought she was beautiful. He also knew that he needed to stop. He gently placed her down and brought a hand up to caress her cheek. He remained close to her body and pressed his forehead against hers. With his eyes closed, he spoke. "I'm sorry. I lost myself there." He opened his eyes when he heard her sigh softly. He watched her lick her lips as she regained her composure. He knew if he didn't step back, he might lose himself again. He opted to not touch her for the moment, but instead placed a hand on the tree behind her. She wasn't saying anything and he suddenly grew worried. "You okay?" He whispered. He looked at her intently.

Bryn looked up at him and gave him shy smile. "Umm...yeah. I'm good." She didn't know what else to say. She felt silly at her lack of words.

At that moment, they both heard the familiar sound of boots scraping along the dirt road. A man was just about to walk past them. He was heading towards the water, probably towards one of the ships in port.

Sinbad realized that they should be doing the same. He cleared his throat and took a step away from the tree and Bryn. He held a hand out to her. "Shall we?"

Bryn nodded her head in understanding and took a step forward. She stopped during midstride and blinked a couple times. She took a breath in. "I'm still a little dizzy." At this point, she wasn't sure if it was from his kisses or her drinks.

Sinbad placed his arm around her waist and walked alongside her. "I've got you. The Nomad is not far. I promise."

xxxx

"There you two are!"

As Sinbad and Bryn got in sight of The Nomad, Firouz hollered to them from the rail. He was standing on the main deck with Rongar next to him.

Sinbad waved. "We weren't far."

"I was starting to get worried." Firouz replied.

Sinbad looked at both of them and wondered about his brother. "How's Doubar?"

"Passed out." Firouz smiled as he leaned over the rail to talk to them. "Snoring away. How are you guys?"

"Uh.." Sinbad looked at Bryn. Right when they were about to board the ship, he saw Bryn hesitate in front of him. He watched her stare at the ship and waited. She placed her hand on her hips, smiled and let out a bit of a giggle at what she knew she had to do. "Can you make it over the rail?" He asked amused at how the ale has affected her.

With a furrowed brow, she nodded her head confidently. "Of course I can." She stepped forward and placed her foot on the wooden platforms that lead to the rail. She was certainly taking her time. From behind her, she didn't see Sinbad signal to Rongar to come and help her.

Rongar leaned over the rail and held out his hands to her. He nodded to her encouragingly when she noticed that he was near. She smiled at him and grabbed a hold of his arms.

"Whoa!" One second she was on the platform, the next second she felt herself being propelled over Rongar's shoulder. "Rongar!" All she could see was his backside and the wooden deck of the ship. "Put me down!" She started to punch at his back.

As Sinbad jumped over the rail, he and Firouz shared an amused smile at what was happening in front of them.

"You may as well take her below deck, Rongar. I am not sure how she will do on the stairs." Firouz gave his input. He looked to Sinbad and whispered. "How much did she have?"

"I have no idea." Sinbad replied with a shake of his head. "Anna's is worst." Firouz made a low whistle in understanding as he nodded his head.

"What?" Bryn asked, still upside down. "What's happening! Rongar! Please!" He finally placed her down.

Once she was right side up and she felt her feet touch the deck, she glared at Rongar and weakly shoved him away. "That was not funny." She glared at all of them. "I can do it myself." She aimed to go below deck, but swayed when she took a step. Sinbad was immediately at her side.

"Bryn…" He started, reaching for her.

"No." Bryn replied before he could finish. She waved him away. "I just need to lay down."

Firouz ran forward and opened the hatch for her. "Good night, Bryn."

"Good night." Bryn replied and slowly made her way below deck.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello again! I am having a fun time unfolding this story! Here is a little more for your reading pleasure. Thank you for reading if you are still with me! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

The following morning, a knock disrupted Sinbad's concentration. He was seated at his desk in his cabin looking over navigational charts to Carthage. With his eyes still on the paper laid out before him, he cleared his throat, "Come in." He stole a look at the door as he heard it creak open. It was Anders.

"Good morning, Captain." Anders greeted and entered slowly. He approached the desk and eyed the maps that were spread out.

"Good morning." Sinbad replied. He leaned back in his chair. "What can I do for you?"

Anders pointed upwards as he spoke, "Your passenger is here. His mother has asked to speak with you. They are both on deck."

Sinbad expected that she would want to talk. Burrell mentioned that his sister would be curious about who she would be handing her son over to. He knew that she would be worried. Sinbad understood. If he had a young boy placed on a ship on route to a new city with an unknown crew, he would be curious to whom he is putting his trust into as well.

"She is earlier than I expected." Sinbad replied as he stood up. "I will see her now though." He watched Anders turn back towards the door to exit the cabin. He followed. "How's the boy look?"

"Scrawny if you ask me." Anders replied without looking over his shoulder.

"Hopefully you two will get along fine." Sinbad shut his door quietly. "After all, you guys will be bunk mates for a while." He smiled when he heard Anders let out an unenthusiastic sigh at the reminder.

xxxx

_"It is fortunate for you that we don't set sail till later." _Dermott perched near the open port hole to Bryn's cabin. He watched her slowly sit up on her mattress. She rested herself against the wall. "_You, my friend, is not looking so great_."

"_Thank you, Dermott. That is just what a woman wants to hear first thing in the morning." _Bryn replied with her eyes closed. She figured she must look how she feels. At the moment she had a splitting headache and the ache on her neck wasn't helping her much. She opened her eyes and noticed a mug on her wooden table that she didn't place. It wasn't there before she went to bed, that she could remember. "_What's that?_"

_"A gift from Firouz."_ Dermott replied with a blink. _"A concoction he made for you and Doubar. It's to help with whatever you two are feeling right now. He knocked before entering but you were asleep. You didn't even stir."_

Bryn scooted off her bed and reached for the mug. She looked at what was inside and gave it a sniff. She was glad it wasn't anything revolting. She could make out coconut water and cinnamon. She brought it back to her bed and sat back down. She looked at Dermott and held up her mug to him, as if she were giving a toast. "To good ol' Firouz. Hopefully this works." She said out loud and took a long swig of the drink in hand.

Dermott let out a chirp in response as she did so. "_Well? Anything?"_

Bryn paused and frowned. "_I think it is going to take some time_." She took another sip of the drink and closed her eyes. She curled her legs under her as she rested herself against an upright pillow, still holding her mug in hand. She could hear movement on the wooden floorboards above her, guessing most of the crew has already started their day.

"_Are you okay_?" Dermott asked. "_Should I get someone_?"

Bryn responded softly. "_I am good. I am just trying to wake myself up_."

"_You are doing that with your eyes closed_." He responded. "_A bath might do you better_."

The corner of Bryn's mouth turned to a smile. "_Why are you always right_?"

xxxx

Meanwhile up on deck, Sinbad was just getting acquainted with his passenger for the journey to Carthage. The boy's mother stood by him with her arm around his shoulder.

"Now Captain Sinbad, my brother has spoken very highly of you. I do trust his judgment." She looked sadly at her boy. "I am only concerned because Joey has never left home. He's never been on a ship before either. I hope he is not any trouble."

Joey's face flushed. "Mother, I will be fine."

Sinbad smiled and turned to the mother. "Your son is correct. As Captain of this ship, I will not put him in harm's way." He gave Joey a wink. "I might put him to work though. The journey will take two weeks. I wouldn't want him to get bored."

The boy nodded his head. "I would be happy to help, Captain Sinbad. I will do anything you ask."

His mother nodded her head, feeling a little better. "Burrell mentioned there is a woman on board?"

"Yes. Her name is Bryn." Sinbad replied.

"My son is a picky eater. Hopefully her cooking will meet his needs." She stated while patting the boy's head.

Sinbad could see the boy's annoyance to his mom's touch. He cleared his throat before speaking. "Bryn is not the cook on my ship. In fact, my crew tends to take turns with the meals."

The woman blinked at him a bit confused, but didn't say anymore on the subject. "Alright. That sounds nice. I do feel more comfortable that a woman is on board. I hope she is kind. Perhaps she can help keep him in line?"

"Bryn is one of the kindest people I know. Your son will be just fine." Sinbad tried to reassure her. He saw his crew member Bijan walk up from below and spoke loud enough to be heard. He made eye contact with him. "Any sight of Bryn?"

Bijan nodded his head. "She just left her cabin to take a bath." He replied. He hesitated to see if there was anything else Sinbad needed. When he saw that he didn't, he continued on his way.

"I was going to make introductions, but I see now is not a very good time." Sinbad gave her an apologetic smile.

"Oh! I am pleased to hear cleanliness is of importance here. One can never tell with these ships." She laughed and turned to her son again. "I expect it to be quiet comfortable for you, my darling."

Sinbad was going to say something else, but changed his mind. He thought the woman in front of him was starting to sound a bit over bearing. "We won't set sail until this evening. If you would like to come back later, that would be fine."

The mother smiled at the idea, happy to have more time with her son. "Yes, that will be best." She pulled her boy closer to her. "Thank you, Captain Sinbad." She gave him a smile and turned to leave the ship, with an arm still draped around her son.

As Sinbad watched them leave, Doubar approached him and he waited to speak until she was out of ear shot. "Who does she think we are? Pirates?! Of course we bathe."

Sinbad laughed. "Let's just hope Joey did not get his mother's attitude. The journey may feel longer than it should." He glanced at his brother. "How are you feeling today?"

"Oh, I am fine." Doubar answered. "Firouz gave me something. My head was pounding earlier, but it's dulled down a bit. I guess I had a little too much to drink last night." He smiled. "I heard Bryn and Anna weren't too far behind."

Sinbad laughed. "You could say that." His mind went to Bryn and the moment they had together before returning to the ship. He didn't realize he was smiling until he saw the look on Doubar's face. "What?"

"You seem to be in a pretty good mood for a man about to sail to Carthage. Something I miss out on last night?" Doubar questioned.

Sinbad shrugged. "I heard a rumor that Anna might have a thing for you."

"Yeah, right!" Doubar laughed. "Anna?" He didn't believe him. He knew Sinbad wasn't thinking about something like that just now. There was more to that smile.

"I am just telling you what I hear." Sinbad held his hands up in defense. "Don't kill the messenger." He started to take a step backwards as he spoke.

"Where are you going?" Doubar asked.

"I am going to see if there are any last minute items we need before we leave port." Sinbad replied as he turned away to go below deck.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you to those who reviewed my previous chapter! Reading your thoughts and comments made my day! I am trying to add more to the story as quick as I can. No worries, there will be more Bryn and Sinbad moments in this story to come! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

_Two Weeks Later_

"All hands on deck!" Sinbad bellowed from the tiller, as he steered his ship into port with skilled hands. As his gazed fixated on the dock ahead of them, he could already see soldiers and, what he was guessing, the harbor master awaiting their arrival. "We are coming into port!"

The crew of The Nomad came to life as they heard their Captain's order. Sinbad heard the hatch open and saw Doubar, Anders and Bryn emerge. They made their way towards the ship's lines to prepare to lower the sails. As Carthage came closer, Sinbad sailed the ship into port with ease as Firouz and Rongar waited by the rail. As soon as Firouz and Rongar were in good distance of the dock, they jumped over the rail to hook the ship securely into place.

Sinbad smiled at his crew. "Good work." He let go of the tiller and made his way towards Joey. He stood at the rail searching through the crowd. "Do you see your father?" Sinbad placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Joey turned to Sinbad and shook his head with a frown. "No."

"Perhaps he got delayed." Sinbad replied. "We'll find him." He gave the boy's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"Sinbad!" Doubar called.

Sinbad turned to his brother and saw what he needed. The harbor master, followed by a few of Carthage's loyal soldiers were already coming on board. Sinbad took in an inward breath as he approached them. He pulled out a piece of paper from behind his pocket and handed it to the harbor master. "My name is Sinbad. This ship is called The Nomad. I am here to drop off a passenger."

The harbor master grabbed the paper from Sinbad's hand and made no introduction of himself. Sinbad watched the man scrutinized the sheet silently.

"Captain Sinbad." One of the soldiers approached him with a smile. "Welcome to Carthage."

"Riley." Sinbad recognized the man in uniform and forced a smile on his face. "It's been awhile."

Riley returned the smile. "It's Captain Riley now. Captain of the Guards." He spoke proudly.

"My mistake." Sinbad responded with a nod of his head. "Captain." He watched Riley scan his crew on deck. Riley's eyes landed on his brother and he nodded to him in recognition.

"As much as I would love to get into familiarities with you, I must first get to business. Please, Captain Sinbad, line up your crew." Riley ordered loud enough for everyone to hear. "Carthage here has strict security measures. I hope you understand. I need to check everyone."

Sinbad looked at his awaiting crew. He warned them off this during the voyage. "You heard the man. Line up."

Riley smiled and turned to his men and gestured for them to go forward with the inspection. He turned to The Nomad's crew and bellowed out instructions. "When my men approach you, stand tall and keep still. They will be looking to your wrist, specifically the right one. Remove any bracelets or fabrics that maybe in the way." His eyes landed on Bryn. He turned to Sinbad and saw that he was watching him. "How many women do you have on board?" He asked the sailor as he looked at Bryn once again.

Sinbad crossed his arms and answered the question. He took a glance at Bryn as well. She was standing next to Rongar in line, with Dermott on her arm. She was watching the other guards on deck as they pulled up the sleeve of her fellow crew member's right arm. "What are your men looking for exactly?"

"You have been away from these parts awhile, Sinbad." Riley grinned. "It is our policy to search for the mark of "S" on every man's right arm that touches our soil."

Sinbad knew what the "S" represented. "When did the house of Cavadini start tattooing their slaves?" He was referring to the wealthiest family in Carthage, a powerful family with land and riches. The city of Carthage listens to them, respects them, and idolizes them. If it weren't for the Cavadini Empire, Carthage would most likely be in ruins.

"When slaves have found the courage to try and escape." Riley explained. "Some have succeeded, while some failed. It was not prevalent until Ramus Cavadini died a few years ago."

Sinbad raised his brows in surprises. "Who has taken over his house?"

"His son, of course, Jarvis Cavadini." Riley answered as he left Sinbad's side. "Excuse me." He made his way towards Bryn.

Sinbad's eyes followed him but his view was quickly blocked. "Where is this boy? Your passenger?" The harbor master caught Sinbad's attention. He still had the papers in his hand. "I wish to speak with him."

Sinbad stepped aside slightly too keep an eyes on Riley. He knew Joey was still at the rail behind him. He was reluctant to leave Riley alone, but he knew he had responsibility to the boy. "He's right here." He turned to Joey, caught his eye, and gestured for him to step forward to join him and the harbor master.

xxxx

As one of the soldiers stood in front of Bryn, she lifted up her arm slightly to allow Dermott to push off. As soon as he took flight, she removed her glove and secured it back onto her belt. She then presented her right wrist to him.

"Turn around." The soldier ordered her roughly.

Bryn didn't understand. She was doing what she was told. She pushed her arm out to him. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

"Turn around!" the soldier barked back louder, which caused Bryn to jump and take a step back. He moved in closer to her. From the corner of her eye, she saw Rongar step closer as well. He placed his shoulder between her and the soldier

"Whoa!" Riley quickly intercepted. He looked to his man. "Step back. I will see to her." He turned to Bryn and Rongar. "I apologize about that."

Rongar relaxed his stance as Bryn took a step forward. "I followed your instructions. I showed him my wrist."

Riley smiled at her. "I wasn't clear and I apologize for that." He walked closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder as he slowly slid his way behind her. Bryn could feel his hand glide from her shoulder to the back of her neck. He used his fingers to push aside her hair. She straightened her back as she felt his breath on her neck as he spoke. "What we look for on a man's wrist is what we look for behind a woman's neck."

Bryn turned her head slightly to look over her shoulder at the man behind her. "Have I passed your inspection?" She asked with a raised brow.

Riley gave a small laugh. "All most, I am not quite finished." He brought his hand over her left shoulder and slid it down her arm. He could feel Bryn's body tense and he made eye contact with her. He stopped at the hilt of her sword. "I am going to have to remove your sword." He spoke into her ear. He slowly pulled it out of her belted sheath and placed it on a nearby crate behind him.

"Is that all?" Bryn asked through gritted teeth. She felt him take a step back and relaxed as she watched him step in front of her.

"That depends. Do you have any more weapons on…" Riley paused. "I'm sorry. I didn't get your name."

"Bryn", she replied.

"My name is Riley". He smiled at her. "I am Captain of the Guards here and I take my job very seriously. I am sure you understand." He explained. "Now I will try this again. Do you have any other weapons on you, Bryn?" Riley asked with a smirk.

Bryn gave him a half smile. Each second she was with this man, she was starting to become more and more irritated. She could sense why Sinbad could not trust him. She was ready for this inspection to be over. "No."

"Perfect." Riley studied her for moment, deciding on whether or not he should believe her. Since she was a member of Sinbad's crew, he decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. "The laws here are quite different than what you are used to, Bryn. Women are not permitted to carry swords nor any other form of weapons. It would be in your best interest to keep your piece on the ship while you're here. Is that clear?"

"Crystal." Bryn replied. _Maybe if I stick to these one word answers. He'd go away._ She thought.

Riley gave her a wide smile. "Good. I wouldn't want anything to happen to that pretty little neck of yours." He then turned to the guard next to him. "She's clear. Now move along." To Bryn, it looked like he was about to move along as well, but he hesitated. Instead he took a hold of her hand and slowly moved it toward his lips as he spoke, "Welcome to Carthage." He gave her hand a small kiss.

Bryn forced a smile on her face as she slowly pulled her hand away. She watched him dismiss himself with a nod and return to his men. _That was odd. _She thought to herself. She glanced at Rongar and saw that he was preoccupied with one of the soldiers. She wondered what he thought of him.

_"He needs to be more concerned about his own neck."_ Dermott voiced his opinion into Bryn's thoughts from above. He chirped when he saw her eyes rise up to him.

xxxx

"The boy stays with me." Sinbad told the harbor master for the second time. "Joey is my responsibility. I will see to it that he gets to his father."

"Okay, okay!" the harbor master gave up. "Mr. Romaldi, Joey's father, is a busy man. I am sure he has just lost track of the hour. Now how long do you plan on staying in port?"

"Sinbad!" Doubar called from a short distance on deck.

"However long it takes for me to find this Mr. Romaldi." Sinbad replied. "Now, will you excuse me?" He turned to his brother and walked towards him, happy to be away from the harbor master. "What is it?"

"Some of the guards have gone below." Doubar stated with an arm gesturing towards the opened hatch. "To look for who knows what."

"Good. The sooner they finish this, the sooner we will be granted to go into town. We need to find Joey's father." Sinbad explained. "Why would he not be here?" He contemplated out loud. He glanced around the ship and saw that Riley was just walking away from Bryn, who look relieved to watch him walk away. "I will be right back."

xxxx

Sinbad rested his hands on his hips casually as he approached Bryn. He looked at her with concern. "How are you doing?"

"I will be better once these soldiers get off our ship." She gestured over her shoulder at the crate behind her. "Your friend took away my sword, saying it was illegal for me to have it here."

"I feel the same way and don't worry, we won't be here long." Sinbad reached his hand to out caress her back as he stepped closer to her. The look she gave told him that she didn't believe him. He held up two fingers. "Two nights is all I want here." He would've been fine for just one night, but knew his crew could probably use some time on land.

At that moment, one of the soldiers stopped in front of them. He looked at Sinbad. "I heard you mention the name Romaldi?"

"Yes. Do you know where I can find him?" Sinbad asked.

"He resides at the House of Cavadini. He is Jarvis' personal advisor." The soldier explained. "That is where you would find him." He pointed in the direction of town. "The big house on top of the hill."

"Thank you." Sinbad nodded his head in appreciation.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! I hope you are doing well! I apologize for the wait. I hope you like this chapter! I appreciate any input. Enjoy! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

Sinbad was nothing but happy to watch the soldier's backs as they stepped off his ship. As he expected, The Nomad was clean. They were free to go into town when they pleased.

"Now that wasn't too bad." Anders commented as he too watched the soldiers remove themselves from the ship.

"It took longer than necessary." Doubar grumbled next to him. He looked to Sinbad. "It looks like Riley has done well for himself. He always wanted to be a Captain."

"Captain of the Guards is not what I would have expected for him." Sinbad replied with a shake of his head. "I always thought he was a seaman."

"Not everyone can be as dedicated to the sea as you." Firouz interjected with a smile. He tilted his head in thought. "Didn't he try to take The Nomad from you?" The look on Sinbad's face was the only answer he needed. It was a mixture of irritation and hate. He knew well enough that it wasn't intended towards him.

"Prepare to go into town. We will be leaving soon." Sinbad instructed them before walking away. It was evident that he wasn't in the best of moods. Without another word, he went below deck.

Firouz realized he may have touched on a sensitive subject. His thoughts were confirmed when he saw both Doubar and Rongar shake their heads at him disapprovingly. He shrugged to them at the mistake.

xxxx

Sinbad and his crew followed a wide path that lead to the center of Carthage. By this time of day, it was midafternoon and the streets were crowded with the people of the city. Each crew member had their eyes elsewhere as they looked upon their surroundings. They walked past stone building, long alleys and hidden stair wells. Running water could be heard on that path. Ahead of them was a large public square that hosted a rather large circular water fountain made of stone. As they walked past it, they could see that it seemed to be a primary spot for conversation. Many people could be seen sitting or standing by the fountain conversing amongst themselves. The square also had tents in varies locations that sold a variety of items. To the crew, it looked to be a small market.

"Business sure seems to be booming." Doubar stated out loud. He smiled at a group of women that glanced in their direction as they walked by, probably curious about the strangers in town.

As they walked further through the square, the crew noticed that they attracted a lot of curious eyes. Many of which were fixated on Bryn.

Anders spoke low enough for the crew to hear as they continued to walk. He too noticed the onlookers on their path. "Bryn, have you been here before?"

It took her a few moments before she could answer, trying to remember if she has. She immediately felt uneasy and hated her answer. "I don't know. I don't remember." She muttered.

"Maybe they are just not used to seeing beautiful women." Doubar tried to ease the tension that was starting to surround them. He placed an arm around Bryn's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. He understood how uncomfortable she would feel when there is a moment she couldn't remember something.

Sinbad was on the other side of him and glanced in her direction. Her eyes met his. "Stay close." He instructed her softly. He remembered Brom's words about not letting Bryn out of his sight here and he intended to do just that. He looked to the rest of the crew. "Keep your eyes and ears open of anything." He wasn't sure exactly of what, but he knew Carthage wasn't a city to have your guard down. He looked around them. "Now, where is this hill?"

They turned down a less crowded alley. Ahead of them they could see a door propped open with a few men outside its' entrance.

"Look, there's an Inn. Perhaps the inn keeper could help us." Firouz suggested. Sinbad nodded his head in agreement. As they walked closer to the entrance they were able to read the sign on the wall. "The House of Joy." Firouz read out loud slowly. He recalled that this wasn't here before.

Doubar looked towards the open windows. Some ladies were hovering over the ledge smiling down at them. They appeared to be in their night robe. "I don't think this is an inn, Firouz."

"Hello there! Handsome group of men we got here!" One of the ladies called from another window. She winked at the crew and smiled at Bryn. "You're a lucky girl." She winked.

"Let's keep walking." Sinbad kept his head forward. At the corner of his eye, he saw Anders stop to stare at the ladies that joined her friend by the window. "Anders, let's go." He raised his voice to him.

Anders looked at the crew and did a double take at the women. He nodded his head to them with a smile and continued to catch up with the crew. "Are there really brothels here? I have never seen one." He whispered to them.

"Now you have." Doubar replied. He saw the excitement in Anders eyes. "I hope you are not thinking about going there!"

"No." Anders quickly answered. "Just amazed. It is so close to the center of town. I thought they would be more hidden."

"What are brothels?" Joey whispered to Bryn.

Bryn smiled. "Um…It's a business strictly for men." She replied. She didn't know what else to say to the boy. "Grown men." She added. She saw in his eyes that he was waiting for more of a description. She kept silent and focused her eyes ahead of her, hoping that he didn't press further.

They soon turned down another alley that led them to another square. A carriage was parked outside another stone building. This time the sign was more evident and clear to read from afar. "See Firouz, now this is the inn." Doubar pointed out. "We've stayed here before, remember now? We just took a wrong turn back there."

"Thank you for the clarification." Firouz responded.

They were about to enter the establishment when a man stepped out. He did not move out of their way, but looked at the group. "Is one of you Captain Sinbad?"

The crew looked to their captain, all a bit surprised at the question and curious of who this person may be. Sinbad stepped forward. "That is I."

The man smiled. "I have been waiting for you for some time. I was told to come here to find you and your crew." He stepped aside from the open door way and ushered them to follow.

"And you are?" Sinbad asked.

"You can call me, Ash." He shook hands with Sinbad. "I am here on behalf of Jarvis Cavadini. He has sent me to pick you and your crew up." He looked to Joey. "And this young man as well, Joey Romaldi?" He offered him his hand.

Joey nodded his head. "You know my father?"

"Yes. He is sorry it is not him who is able to come at this time." Ash informed him. "He is currently away from the city, but should be back by tomorrow."

Sinbad felt relief that Joey's father was in fact expecting him. He looked at Joey and saw a hint of disappointment appear on his features. He knew he was looking forward to being with his father. He placed a hand on his shoulder. "Soon, it will be night, and tomorrow will be here before you know it."

Ash looked at the group. His eyes lingered on Bryn, sure that he's seen her before. At that moment she caught him looking at her. "I'm sorry for staring. You remind me of someone."

"Who do I remind you of?" Bryn asked. She wondered if it could really be her.

"This girl from the past. You share a similar likeness to her." He replied as he studied her. He seemed to not want to share any more information. He turned his head towards a carriage behind him and looked to the rest of the crew "Come! I will take you to Cavadini's home. I hope you haven't made other arrangements. He expects you to stay with him during your visit." He looked to Sinbad.

Doubar answered for him. "We haven't had the chance to make arrangements. You're city's security were very thorough on our ship."

"Ah. I see why and understand of my wait in the inn." Ash smiled. He opened the carriage door to them. "Two of you will have to sit up front with me."

xxxx

Jarvis Cavadini rose from his seat at his desk when he heard the sound of wheels and horses coming down his drive. He stood by his window and peeked out at his guest. Once he heard that Sinbad was the one that would be delivering Romaldi's son to him, he insisted that he and his crew stay with him. Sinbad is well-known and as a sea merchant, is spoken very highly off. Word of him under his roof would be very beneficially to him socially.

As the carriage came to a stop at the entrance doors, he recognized the man seated up front immediately. He's seen him in the local tavern years ago. It was certainly Sinbad. He thought, even if he's never seen the man before he could tell who the Captain was amongst the group. Authority was written all over him.

He then saw a woman stepping out of the carriage. He pushed aside the curtain further as he brought his face closer to the glass of the window to have a better look. _She's cute. _He thought. Realization dawned on him. _Bryn?_

xxxx

Ash left the crew in a one of the sitting rooms to inform the Jarvis that his guests have arrived. Firouz and Doubar exchanged impressed looks at how everything seemed to be in the highest quality, from the door knobs, to the lighting fixtures, to the carpet and couches. Anders reached out and touched a statue on an end table. He took a loud intake of breathe as his fingers slipped and he kept it from nearly falling over on to the marble floor.

Sinbad gave him a look of warning. As Anders silently apologized, for a moment he thought the boy Joey was better behaved than Anders. Good worker he was, but he certainly catered to his own curiosity, which he noticed has been consistent with putting himself in precarious situations. He shook his head slightly at that thought realizing, they both shared similar traits.

"Ah! Sinbad and his loyal crew! Welcome to my home!" Jarvis entered through one of the door ways. He immediately extended his hand to the captain. "My name is Jarvis and I am honored to have you here." He smiled. He took the time to shake all of their hands as they made their introductions.

When he turned to Bryn, he saw that she made no notion of even knowing him, which he thought to be odd. He wondered what game she was playing. He held her hand a little longer to see if she needed more time to recognize him, but she just smiled at him as he felt her pull her hand away.

He turned to his advisor's son and gave him a pat on the back as he shook his hand. "Joey, your father apologizes for not being here, and I must tell you, it is my entire fault. I apologize for the delay in your reunion."

"How is it your fault?" Joey asked.

"There was an errand, business, of great importance to me that needed to be taken care of. I trusted no one but your father." Jarvis explained with a smile. "Thankfully, the travel wasn't too far. He will be here tomorrow." He turned to the crew and Sinbad. "I hope Ash explained that all of you are welcome to stay here during your visit."

"Yes. I thank you for your hospitality." Sinbad explained. "We won't be here for very long. We will be leaving the day after tomorrow."

Jarvis looked disappointed. "A short visit is it? That's a shame." He took a glance at Bryn and to the crew and forced a smile on his face. "No matter the length, you are all welcome to stay. Also, tonight I will inform you that as my guest, dinner will be more private. Tomorrow night, it will be the opposite. A dinner party is being held to welcome Joey Romaldi to Carthage." He turned to Joey and smiled. "Your father's request. Surely he will be here for that."

"Thank you for the invitation." Doubar spoke for the crew.

They watched Jarvis pull a cord that eventually summoned a couple of his servants, women to be exact, that hurried to his side. He instructed them to show Sinbad and his crew to their rooms. He turned to the crew, "Please make your selves comfortable here. Your rooms are ready for you. My servants will take you to them now. Do relax. I do have other business matters to see to today. I am afraid I won't see you till tonight's dinner. My servants will take care of any needs you may have."

"Thank you." Sinbad nodded his head with a smile. Jarvis did the same as he walked out of the room with his hands folded behind his back.

The crew exchanged looks, all unsure of what to say of what just happened. They saw that the servants were waiting for them to follow them. Sinbad smiled at them. He was never comfortable with being around servants. He was accustomed to taking care of his own needs. He took a step forward and introduced himself and the crew.

"It's a pleasure." One of the servants returned his smile in greeting.

"I guess we are ready to get situated?" Sinbad asked his crew. They all nodded their heads, ready to follow.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello again! I think this chapter has a little something some of you have been waiting for... let me know what you think so far! More to come soon! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

Dinner was definitely not simple in the house of Cavadini. The crew sat in one of the dining rooms along a wooden table adorned with candles and flowers. They watched as the servants hustled in and out of the dining room with platters of meats, vegetables, fruits, and other sweets. One of the servants, a small framed brunette, hovered over Sinbad to pour him some wine. She looked down at him and smiled, lightly grazing her hand across the back of his shoulders before moving on to pour wine for the rest of the crew.

Jarvis saw that exchange and smiled. He turned to the crew. "I hope my servants have been taking care of you the rest of this day. Please remember, they are here for _all _your needs." He ended looking at Sinbad. "It is advisable you get their attention tonight before my other guests arrive for tomorrow's party." He laughed. "They do keep themselves busy."

Firouz and Anders exchanged looks, both deciding that was an odd statement to make.

"How many servants do you have?" Doubar asked while he watched one of the servants fill his plate up with, what he could guess, roasted chicken.

"I've lost track." Jarvis smiled. "Most of the men are hired help. I've got other people to manage that." He glanced at Bryn before speaking to the crew again. "Are your rooms to your satisfaction?"

"Yes." Sinbad answered. "Far more luxurious than our other stays in varies ports. Thank you for having us."

"It is my pleasure." Jarvis answered before taking a sip of his ale. He turned to Bryn, "I hope you do not feel ostracized from your crew. I always keep the women's quarters separated from the men for my guests, for their comfort of course."

"I am on the other side of the house, aren't I?" She replied. "I think every time I try to find it or the crew, I manage to get myself a little lost." She didn't want to sit there and criticize his way of running a household; after all they are his guests. "Lucky for me, your servants are more than able to help guide my way."

Jarvis places his fork down to reach for his ale again. "Are you sure we haven't seen each other before?" He waited for her answer. She saw her glance around the crew. "I am sure if you have, you'd be a little more familiar with this house."

"No, I don't believe we have." Bryn finally looked at him and answered. This common occurrence of people saying she looked familiar was starting to make her feel even more uncomfortable. She silently kept trying to will her mind to remember anything about Carthage. Nothing seemed to work.

Jarvis continued to push. "I am sure I would never forget those beautiful brown eyes of yours." He gave her a smile. "Perhaps, something will come up for you to remember."

Bryn was starting to grow irritated. He can't force her to remember anything. She controlled her manners and turned her attention back to her plate. "I hope you are right."

"Sinbad? Tell me about your travels." Jarvis instructed. "All of you must have interesting stories." He suddenly changed his mind and waved his hand at the idea. "Perhaps, you should wait to share them at the party tomorrow with my other guests." He looked to Joey, who was seated next to him. "So that your father could hear as well."

Firouz nodded his head and smiled at his captain and crew. "We definitely have a few."

"I am curious about how you all met?" Jarvis stated. He looked at Bryn, more curious about her story. If she wasn't going to be honest with him now, he will try to get it out of her later.

The discussion at the table continued on. It was really light and felt somewhat uncomfortable, each member of the crew thought. Everything felt too formal. The crew felt relieved once Jarvis excused himself for the night. He said he wanted to retire early so that he could get a good morning start. He told them to help themselves with the wine and other sweets for the rest of the evening. The crew watched as he bid them good night with one of the servants on his arm.

Once he and the rest of the servants were out of the room, the crew exchanged glances and shared a small laugh. "Well that was a little awkward." Anders pretty much expressed what was on all their minds.

"I can't wait for my father to return." Joey stated. "That man is a bit of a bore if you ask me." He smiled at them.

xxxx

Later that evening, the marble floor felt cold against her bare feet as she wandered down the halls of Cavadini's house. The house was dark and quiet in the middle of the night. It was also cold. Bryn wrapped the robe Jarvis' servants left on her bed during the evening, tightly around herself, in hopes to keep warm. As she continued her search, she rubbed her hands against her arms from the chill of the night air coming through an open breeze way. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. She knew she made it to the guests' quarters by the decorated detailed designs carved into the wooden doors. These doors were similar to where her room was located. She now knew she was near the crew. At least, she hoped so.

She heard footsteps nearby and froze in her tracks. A man turned a corner and nearly walked into her. She recognized him from earlier.

"What are you doing up?" He whispered. "What are you doing here?" His eyes widen at the sight of her. "Do you need me to help you find your room?"

"Ash!" Bryn whispered his name, glad she remembered it. She was relieved to see it was only him. She shook her head. She didn't realize she was holding her breath before she spoke. "I need to find Sinbad. Do you know where he is?"

Ash pointed behind her right shoulder. "I believe he is two doors down." He looked at her, curious of why she needed to see her captain so late in the evening.

She slowly took a step backwards. "Please don't tell your...Jarvis. I'm…"

Ash held out his palm to stop her from talking. "Your secret is safe with me." He smiled. His eyes twinkled with amusement. "I should get to bed. I've got lots of work to do tomorrow to prepare for the dinner party." He tilted his head to her before leaving. "You have yourself a good night, Bryn." He smiled with a wink.

"Thank you." She whispered. She knew he was most likely getting the wrong idea of why she was sneaking around the house at this hour. She watched him turn and walk away, heading towards a stairwell. She found Sinbad's door and waited till Ash disappeared before knocking.

She knocked lightly, not wanting to attract any more attention. "Sinbad?" He didn't answer. Not wanting to linger in the hall way any longer than she had to, she placed her hand on the door knob and let herself in. She immediately felt that his room was somewhat warmer than the hall. As she turned to close the door quietly behind her, she looked over her shoulder and saw that the fireplace was still lit, shedding enough light into the room for her to see. His room was bigger than hers. _Typical._

She found Sinbad asleep on the large bed. As she slowly walked towards him, she could hear that his breathing was even and quiet. He was lying on his back. She reached out to gently wake him but paused before she touched him. "Sinbad." She whispered softly, not to startle him. His breathing changed, and he shifted slightly. She was sure that he heard her. She was disappointed when his eyes didn't open to her. She knew that she would be disrupting his sleep before she left her own room, but didn't realize it would be this difficult of a task. Guilt got to her. He looked so peaceful. _This is an urgent matter. _Bryn convinced herself. She needed to speak with him before Jarvis does the next morning.

She found a space on the edge of the bed for her to sit on as she faced him. She leaned forward, moving her mouth just above his ear to say his name again.

He made a sound close to a moan in his sleep. She saw that his eyes still remained closed. She smiled and thought about how adorable he looked. Without giving it much thought, she slowly brought her lips to his right cheek and planted a soft kiss.

Sinbad woke at the touch. Startled, he took in a sharp intake of breath, as he reached for his sword that he left on the bed next to him. Once he recognized who it was, he immediately relaxed.

"I'm sorry." Bryn whispered. She felt his hand touch her lap as his blue eyes searched hers, half asleep; wondering what was going on, wondering if she was alright. Bryn didn't give him a chance to question her as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his to kiss him softly. At this moment, all she wanted was to be near him. She felt relief that she wasn't at the other side of the house in that strange room alone anymore. She soon felt his lips massaging her own and she let out an uncontrolled sigh as his hands found her waist to pull her closer.

She repositioned herself and sat astride his lap. She could feel his warm hands fall on her hips as she deepened the kiss.

Sinbad felt like he was in a dream. Still half asleep, when he first woke and saw her, he forgot that he wasn't on his ship, but in a warm room within a mansion in Carthage. When she kissed him, he didn't care of where he was. Not much thought was in his mind other than the feel of Bryn against him. As she shifted to sit upon his lap, he replaced his blade onto the table next to them and let his hands find her once again. He could feel her body through the soft fabric of her night dress and robe. A part of him didn't want anything between them at all. As he continued to kiss her, he undid her robe with one tug of the belt and slowly eased it off her shoulder. He felt her shudder from the sudden cool air that touched her skin. His senses came back to him. They were not on his ship. What was he thinking? He wanted her, but not here. _Not for the first time_. He told himself.

He pulled his head away and looked at her. "Bryn?"

"I know. I know." Bryn repeated softly. "Stop." She stated more to herself. It was like she was reading his mind.

He slowly sat up while gently placing her on the middle of the bed. They both took the time to catch their breaths. He watched her pull the rest of her robe back over her shoulder. She was looking at him, worry was in her eyes. He reached out and placed a hand on her arm. He realized he rejected her, which may have unsettled her. He gave her a warm smile and decided to just be honest. "You know I want you, Bryn. I really do, but not here." He whispered. His voice was husky with need as he looked at her. Hoping she understood.

Bryn shook her head and smiled at the confession. "No, it's not that. I'm sorry. I just needed to come find you."

"Are you okay?" He asked. He felt worried. He didn't expect to see her at this time of night. "Come here." He pulled her closer to sit on the bed next to him and wrapped an arm around her. He felt her relax against him. "What's going on?"

"It's Jarvis, this place, this house." Bryn answered. "There is just something about him."

"I am having a hard time trusting the man. He seems to mean well with his hospitality, but there is just something about him, like you said. I just can't put my finger on it. Dinner was a little weird." Sinbad agreed as he caressed her arm with a thumb. He stared into the fire place.

"He came into my room earlier tonight. He was angry with me." Bryn continued.

Sinbad looked down at her and thought of Jarvis. The idea of him touching her made him feel angry. "What? Did he hurt you?" He quickly asked.

Bryn placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. "Nothing I couldn't handle." Jarvis did kiss her roughly, but she pushed him away. She didn't want to tell Sinbad that. Perhaps that's why she kissed Sinbad just now. She wanted the last intimate moment to be with him. She watched Sinbad look a her. "He is lucky I didn't have my sword with me."

"What did he want?" Sinbad asked, trying to keep his patience.

"He says he thought he'd never see me again. Wants to know why I've come back." Bryn sighed in frustration. "I can't answer his questions because I don't remember this place or him! I tried to explain all that, but insist that I am playing some sort of game with him, as if I am pretending or I am up to something."

"What is it that he wants to say to me tomorrow?" He asked.

"That I belong here." Bryn answered. "He doesn't want me to leave. I am worried he is going to try something. I don't know what he is capable of, just that he is really controlling with everyone and everything around him. Do you see the way his servants are around him? They fear him." She continued, barely taking a breath. "Look at what I am wearing."

Sinbad raised a brow at how revealing it was. He cleared his throat. "It…ah, doesn't look very warm."

"Jarvis had his servants leave it on my bed for the night. I took a bath after dinner. I can't find my clothes, they took it, saying they were going to have it cared for." Bryn explained. She glanced around the room. "Your clothes don't seem to be out of place?"

Sinbad shook his head. "No." He got her attention with his right hand, by placing a finger under her chin. He gently coaxed her to look up at him, lifting her face so that her eyes met his. "Bryn, nothing he will say can convince me to leave you behind. You belong on The Nomad, you belong with me." He smiled. "Okay?"

"Okay." Bryn agreed.

"I am not going to let anything happen to you." Sinbad spoke softly as he leaned his head in for a kiss. He continued kissing her, at the same time, pulling her lower so she was lying down next to him. When their lips parted, he hovered over her and caressed her cheek with his right hand. She looked up at him. He pressed his mouth to hers again and his whole body melted into her. Soft kissed soon turned into more heated ones. He felt her lift her head to either meet him halfway or pull him closer. He didn't realize what he was doing until his hand landed on her. His hand touched one of her breast, which caused her to push her self into him. There was a low groan from his throat as he trailed kisses down to her neck and then he pulled back to look down at her. "I have to ask you something." He almost sounded angry. As if he didn't want to ask in the first place, or he didn't want to stop. He removed his hand from her and ran it through his hair, collecting his thoughts and his senses.

"What is it?" Bryn rested her head back down on the pillow.

"I have been meaning to ask you ever since…I don't know..." Sinbad trailed off. He decided to just say it. "Have you ever been with a man?"

Bryn let out nervous laugh. "I've thought about this, well that part of my life. The only answer I can give you is no." She truly didn't remember and she hated that. "Is this why we've been keeping our distance on the ship? Well keeping to ourselves most of the nights?"

Sinbad knew what she was talking about. Honestly, he refrained from doing anything further because he was scared. This was Bryn, he kept telling himself. He didn't want to mess anything up or move to fast with a woman for once. He really cares for her. Their friendship has grown so much since they first met. He might even love her. "I think that is part of it."

"Don't worry about it. If I am in any way uncomfortable, you will know." Bryn reached up and caressed his cheek and smiled. She felt touched by his concern. She saw his features relax. She was glad they stopped when they did. This wasn't the right place. "Do you mind if I stay here with you tonight? I don't think I want to chance my way back to my room right now."

"Of course I don't mind, Bryn." He replied. He leaned his head forward to give her a quick kiss before laying himself back down next to her. As he looked up towards the ceiling, he felt her curl up next to him, her head resting at his chest. He thought about Jarvis and what it would mean for him to find Bryn there with him, in his bed, the next morning. He knew, most likely it would be his servants, but would they say anything to him? Bryn told him Jarvis was angry with her tonight. Irritation grew in him at the thought of him even entering her room. _The way he was looking at her during dinner, _he then decided that would try to get them both up early so he could walk her back to her room to avoid any complications. He would then know where they placed her incase he needed to find her.

"Good night, Sinbad." Bryn mumbled against him.

He gave her a light squeeze in their embrace. "Good night, Bryn."


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello! I hope you are doing well. Another chapter! (Finally got to it! Sorry for the wait.) - Please share your thoughts! **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

Sinbad woke with a start. Someone was knocking on his door. He looked to his side and noticed that Bryn was gone. The knocking continued as he sat up. He reached for his pants and pulled them on. "Come in!" He called to the door, a little unsettled by the urgency coming from the person on the other side of it.

"Sleep in much?" Doubar entered with a smile. He looked around. "I was beginning to think you may have had a woman in here." He joked. "It's late morning you know?"

Sinbad grabbed his shirt, thinking of the woman he _did_ have in there, who seemed to have a knack for sneaking away. "I didn't get much sleep." He pulled the shirt over his head.

"Eh. You will sleep when you're dead!" Doubar stated cheerfully and headed for the doorway. "When you are done getting dressed, meet us downstairs. Breakfast is laid out for us, a buffet in the garden. Some of the guys are still eating. Jarvis really knows how to cater to his guest." He turned before leaving to face him. "Hungry?"

"Sure, I will be down soon." Sinbad replied. "Is Bryn down there too?" He quickly asked before Doubar could leave.

"No." Doubar answered with a shake of his head. "She'll turn up sooner or later."

Sinbad smiled. "You speak as if she's a pet that got away."

"A sweet kitten you might say?" Doubar laughed. He took a hold of the door knob. "Come down quick before I eat everything." He pointed out before shutting the door behind him.

xxxx

Bryn stood at the foot of her bed and stared at the fabric laid before her. _What is going on? _She was expecting to see the dress she wore to the house, _her_ dress, but instead, found a cream colored dress that was long enough to fall to the floor. She felt a hint of annoyance, knowing exactly who was behind this. One of his servants, who walked in with the dress in hand, was tending to her fire now. She turned to her, pausing to remember her name. "Val?"

"Yes, miss? She stood up from the fire place and met Bryn's eyes.

Bryn saw the girl looked nervous. She gave her a gentle smile. "What is this?" She pointed towards the dress.

"Mr. Cavadini had me bring it to you. Do you not like it?" She quietly asked.

"It is beautiful." Bryn replied. "Although, I prefer my own dress to wear."_ I don't feel comfortable accepting this_, she thought to herself.

Val smiled. "Mr. Cavadini said you'd say something like that. He insists that you wear the dress with..." She strode towards the back of the door and lifted up a red cloak that hung from a hook. "...this cloak when you meet him." She extended it towards Bryn. "It is cool in the mornings here; especially by the coast!"

Bryn didn't know what else she could say to the girl. She knew she was just following orders. A knock on the door caused her and Val to jump. Val being closest to the door turned to open it. It was Ash. He nodded a greeting to Val and looked past her, relieved to see Bryn. "Good. You are here!" He looked her up and down, seeing she was wearing the same thing the last time he saw her late last evening. "You should get dressed. Mr. Cavadini will be waiting for you outside. I've got the horses ready."

"Horses?" Bryn repeated. "Where are we going?"

"That is not for me to say." Ash replied. He walked up to Val to steer her towards the door. "We'll be outside waiting. Try to hurry."

xxxx

Ash glanced down at Bryn as he walked besides her to the stables. For a few silent moments they exchanged awkward glances.

"What?" Bryn finally spoke up. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

"It's that dress." Ash replied with a smile. "I recognize it."

Bryn stopped in her tracks and nodded her head in understanding. She turned to face him. "You are about to say I used to where this?"

"Yup." Ash replied. "Now, I know you say you don't remember being here, but it _is_ you!" He exclaimed excitedly. He placed both hands on her shoulders and smiled. "You came back!"

Bryn gave him an agitated sigh and shook her head. "I wish I remembered all of it. Please, tell me what is it you know about, as you say, this girl from the past."

Ash let go of her shoulders and turned to continue walking. "We should get moving."

"You can't tell me?" Bryn followed along.

"It is not my place." Ash replied. "Mr. Cavadini can answer your questions." He looked ahead of him and saw Jarvis already astride his own horse."

Bryn looked ahead of her as well and only saw two horses. Confused, she looked to Ash. "Where is the rest of my crew?" She whispered.

"My understanding is that only you were to accompany Mr. Cavadini today." He replied.

Bryn gave him a look that did not hide her disappointment. "No one tells me anything here." She spoke through gritted teeth as she walked towards the horses.

Jarvis eyed Bryn as she approached him. He was pleased to see that she was wearing the dress he had delivered to her room. He soon smiled realizing that he didn't really give her much of a choice. "Good morning, Bryn!" He gestured towards the second horse. "You do remember how to ride, don't you?"

_In this dress? _She thought as she reached out to brush the horse's mane with her hand. She hid her frown."Of course."

xxxx

Breakfast was served in the garden. Sinbad found his crew relaxing on lounge chairs with plates filled with pastries, jam, melons, and apples. He smiled at the sight of them knowing they were taking advantage of this luxury. He thought they deserved a break every now and then.

"Sinbad! You've got to try these pastries. They are crispy on the outside, soft and buttery on the inside!" Firouz exclaimed, holding out his plate to him.

Sinbad nodded his head and strode towards the buffet table. Servants were gathered around it as if they were guarding the table. He made eye contact with each of them and smiled as he picked up a few items to fill his own plate. He then found an empty cushioned seat next to Rongar. He glanced at each crew member as he settled. "Bryn and Joey haven't shown up yet?"

"Joey already came and gone. One of the servants thought to take him fishing. I am sure to keep him busy until his father arrives. Maybe to make sure he stays out of their way as they prepare for this dinner tonight." Anders answered. "We haven't seen Bryn yet this morning."

"Bryn has left the property for the day."

Sinbad and the crew turned to see Ash walking towards them. He had a smile on his face. He stopped in front of them.

"She and Mr. Cavadini will be back in time for tonight's dinner." Ash explained.

"Where did they go?" Doubar asked for the rest of them.

"I was not informed." Ash replied. "Only that they will be back later today." He saw Sinbad shake his head slightly. He appeared irritated. He wondered if he was a jealous man. "No need to worry. She is probably just getting a tour of the country side. In fact! Would you all care for a ride into town? Perhaps you'd like to have a look around this city while you can. I understand you plan to leave tomorrow. It would be a shame to spend all your time in this old house."

"That sounds great!" Anders stood up and brushed off some crumbs that were on his lap. "When can we leave?"

Ash gestured towards the rest of the crew, with plates still in their hands. "When you are all done eating, come to the front of the house. I will make sure the carriage is prepared."

As he turned to leave, the crew exchanged looks. Silently agreeing that going into town would be a good change in scenery. Sinbad wanted to see to his ship.

Doubar looked to his brother. He recognized that look of unease all too well. "What's the matter?"

"It's Jarvis. I don't trust him." Sinbad answered. He saw that he got his crew's attention. "He and a few other people here seem to believe that Bryn's been here before. She doesn't remember anything. You guys saw how pushy he was with her last night during dinner. She didn't feel comfortable then and I could only imagine how she feels right now with him."

"Why would she leave with him this morning then?" Anders asked out loud.

"To get answers!" Firouz stated confidently. "I am sure she is eager to remember and learn any part of her past. It is too much of a coincidence for them to recognize her and know her name for it not to really be her, don't you think? I think she knows that too." He looked to all of them.

"You're right." Sinbad didn't want to admit it. The last thing he wanted was for any one of his crew to have any connection to this city. He sighed. "Let's go into town and see if we can find anything about Jarvis's history with Bryn. It seems some people in town recognized her as well."

xxxx

_"It is nice to see you." _Bryn silently reached out to her friend. She could see Dermott just ahead of her sitting on an extended tree limb. It was good to feel some sort of familiarity on this road. She felt Jarvis and her have been riding for hours. She knew that couldn't be true, considering that the morning fog was still surrounding them. Jarvis has barely said a word to her as she followed him on horseback. She wondered what he was thinking and where they were going. "Are we almost there?" Bryn asked. He looked at her and he only nodded.

"_Dermott, where do you think he is taking me? What is ahead of us?_" Bryn asked, growing impatient. She was also growing hungry. She didn't have a chance to eat anything before being taken to the stables.

_"Towards the coast, there is a stone house. You are very near."_ Dermott replied.

"_Thank the gods."_ Bryn smiled at him as they got closer to the tree.

"There is a hidden path to our right coming up." Jarvis explained to her. "That is our turn."

Bryn indicated that she understood with a nod of her head. She continued to follow Jarvis. Dermott was right. They came upon a stone house and it was overlooking the ocean. She took in a breath as she marveled at how beautiful the scenery was. She followed Jarvis to the front of the house and followed his lead when he dismounted his horse. She wasn't surprised to see one of his servants appear out of nowhere to tend to the horses. The same man reached for her reigns. "Thank you." She gave him a quick nod and felt unsettled when he didn't meet her eyes.

"Bryn!" Jarvis called to her with a hand held out. "You must be starving. I've got something prepared for us in the back."

Bryn didn't care about the food. She had it with not knowing what was going on. She refused to take his hand as she approached him. Instead, she looked at him forcefully, determined for answers. "Why did you bring me here?"

"Do you remember this place?" Jarvis asked, searching her featured for any sign of recognition. He continued walking and she followed alongside him towards the side of the house, which lead them towards the back. He watched her shake her head. "This was my father's favorite place. He often came here escape from the city and think."

"What does that have to do with me?" Bryn asked.

"You really have no idea, do you?" Jarvis faced her; a hint of irritation was evident in his tone. He turned, shaking his head as he walk towards a laid out blanket his servants prepared for them. There was a basket of fruit, pastries, and cheese to break their fast.

Bryn watch him settle himself onto the blanket. She needed to know more of what he was talking about. She followed him and sat down on the blanket as well as he pulled items out of the basket for both of them to eat. "Tell me." She instructed. She was relieved that he finally believed that she wasn't lying to him. She really couldn't remember.

"The last time I saw you was here, at this house." Jarvis popped a grape into his mouth and chewed on it as he watched her reaction. Her eyes knitted close together in thought. "You used to live with us at the main house, as a servant." He continued. "You were not like any other servant in my father's eyes. You, Bryn, were special, he would say. He never told me why, but I knew."

"What? Knew about what?" Bryn asked, anxious to hear more.

He gave her a slow smile before speaking. "I kissed you last night to get a reaction. The same reaction I received the first time I did that. You showed me what my father has been talking about all along that night. He knew how valuable you were. He knew of your power."

"My power?" Bryn slowly repeated. She wasn't accustomed to talking about it to a complete stranger.

"You burned me the first time." Jarvis replied. "Not last night though. Perhaps you are not nervous of me as you were back then or perhaps you've learned to control that special gift of yours."

The look he was giving her made her nervous now. Bryn didn't know what else to say. He knew something of her, something too private. She couldn't let herself voice that he was right. She wondered of who his father was and why he brought her to this house overlooking the water, but she didn't ask. "How did I come to live in Carthage? This isn't home to me."

"You came off one of the ships and was sold to us." Jarvis answered. "I noticed you the first day you arrived. You were quiet and a hard worker. You never complained. My father always seemed to have a sixth sense, even on that first day; he treated you different from all the others and I noticed it. He knew you were different." He looked towards the water in thought. "Eventually, you became more of a companion to him than a servant. The way he treated you and the way he gave you special liberties around the house almost made me forget that you were a servant." He nodded towards her attire. "That dress you are wearing now; is a gift from him."

Bryn looked down at the dress. She didn't know what to say. Capua came to mind. _Is that what happened? Is that why I disappeared from my family? Was I taken and sold? _She thought. She felt a chill run through her spine. She wished Jarvis' father was still alive. She wondered if his father eventually set her free. She looked to Jarvis and wondered why he wanted her to say.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for any previous comments you've submitted! ****I decided to update a little sooner! I hope you like where this is going so far...**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

"I am glad you convinced Ash to just let us borrow their horses rather than be chauffeured around like a bunch of princes." Doubar stated as he rode alongside Sinbad on their way to the city center.

"I think Ash was glad as well of the idea. He seems to be a really busy man around here." Sinbad replied. "I am sure the last thing he needs to do is to be an escort."

"We did miss an opportunity to talk to him about Bryn though. He recognized her when we first met." Firouz added as his own horse trotted forward to join the brothers.

"There is always tonight." Anders joined them. He gave them a smile. "We'll corner him!"

"We don't need to corner anybody!" Sinbad replied with a laugh. "We will use as little force as possible trying to get these people to talk." He directed his horse towards a path to their right. "The last thing we need is to have the Captain of the Guards on our backs." He reminded them.

"Where do you think you are going now?" Doubar asked as his brother moved ahead of them.

"The Nomad. We set sail tomorrow. I want to make sure we are prepared." Sinbad called over his shoulder.

"The inventory is pretty fresh." Firouz called to him. "Rongar and I checked it before we arrived into port."

Sinbad angled his horse to face them before continuing on to the docks. "Good. That makes things easier." He nodded his head towards a different path. "You guys go on ahead. I will catch up with you later."

"I am sure you will know where to find us." Doubar replied. "Don't be staring into those charts for too long, Sinbad. Try to relax while here, will you?" For awhile since they arrive, he sensed his brother's tension.

Sinbad smiled and nodded his head, understanding his brother's meaning. "You guys be careful." He gave them a single wave as he made a clicking sound with his tongue, twice, to urge his horse to continue on.

xxxx

_Relax, he says. I will relax once I know Bryn is alright and we sail out of here. _Sinbad thought as he rode on. He thought about her. Thought about the look of worry she had on her face when she told him about Jarvis last night. He wondered about when she left his bed. He wished he knew where she was, where Jarvis was taking her this morning. _I should have listened to Brom. I shouldn't have let her out of my sight. If he hurts her, I'm going to...feed him to the sharks. _He silently fumed at the thoughts going through his mind. As he rode closer to the docks he saw his ship. He squinted towards it, noting that there were more than just his crew members on deck. _What the…? _He nudged his horse into a gallop towards The Nomad.

"Captain Riley!" He roared as he jumped over his rail. "What are you and your men doing on my ship!?"

"There you are! I was looking for you, Sinbad." Riley replied nonchalantly. "You weren't below."

Sinbad scowled. "What is going on here?"

"I need you to move your ship." Riley answered. "The harbor master received word that a ship called _Angelique _will be arriving into our port tomorrow. The _Angelique _is much bigger and faster, I may add, than your ship." He smiled at his jab. "Large enough to say that I will need to see to it that two ships need to be moved by tomorrow and yours is one of them."

"If this _Angelique_ is so large, why not tell them to lay down their anchor closer to shore?" Sinbad questioned roughly.

"They have heavy cargo. I am sure you understand that, don't you?" Riley answered with a smile slowly forming on his lips.

Sinbad understood. Having all your cargo fitting on a dingy was very rare. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We are leaving tomorrow. Can your harbor master wait till then?"

"By morning?" Riley asked. He watched the sailor nod his head and smiled at the confirmation. "Then we don't have a problem!" He glanced around him and saw that his men were waiting for an order. "We are done here!" He called out to them. Before stepping off the ship himself, he laid a firm hand on Sinbad's right shoulder. "It is really good to see you, Sinbad. It's too bad you are only here a short while. Good thing we have tonight though!" He ended cheerfully.

"You are coming to Joey's welcome dinner party?" Sinbad raised his brows in question.

Riley laughed at his friend's ignorance. "Half the city will be there. I wouldn't miss it. I guarantee you, it will be a night you won't forget. Jarvis Cavadini is the kind of man who likes to show off, if you have not yet noticed. It will be plenty of good fun!" He slapped his hand down on Sinbad's shoulder again and squeezed it enthusiastically as he spoke. "The wine will be flowing and the woman will be dancing." He wiggled his eyebrows, "Oh, they will be dancing! It will be like old times, you, me, and Doubar!" He removed his hand. "I am not quite your crew will want to leave port by morning."

"My crew knows their limits." Sinbad replied.

"What of Bryn? Does she know her limits?"

Sinbad's eyes narrowed in on Riley's. "Why do you ask?"

"You know curiosity gets the better of me. She made an impression the first time I...searched her." Riley grinned. "Well?" He watched Sinbad as he took his time to answer. He swore he saw his jaw twitch as he adjusted his stance while facing him.

Sinbad thought of Bryn and the last time she made an example of her limits; she was with Anna. "She _is_ a member of my crew. Anything I say about them, she's part of it too." He paused. He knew no good usually comes from Riley's curiosity. "Whatever you are thinking, concerning her, stop." He warned harshly.

Riley laughed. "You were always the overprotective Captain." He took a step back to walk off the ship. "I will see you and the rest of your crew tonight." He turned to leave, but not before he said. "Don't worry. I will be a perfect gentleman."

Sinbad watched him jump over the rail; happy to see him go. _First my ship and now my…Bryn._ He shook his head in frustration before walking below deck. _That is not going to happen._


	10. Chapter 10

**It is funny how one day you write something and the next day you just totally make use of the delete button! That is what my indecisiveness has done to me with this chapter! I hope you are happy with what I kept so far! - More to come very soon! Also, a HUGE thank you for those who have reviewed and sent me messages! I love hearing from you and appreciate your thoughts! **

**D****ISCLAIMER: I do not own the rights to The New Adventures of Sinbad - all this recognition goes to the Creater, Ed Naha.**

After they finished the light breakfast that was prepared for them outside, with a point of his index finger, Jarvis instructed Bryn to stay put. He stood up and she watched him enter the stone house behind them. Bryn let out a shaky sigh, relieved to have a moment alone. She couldn't stop thinking about her past, of what could have been. The familiar wave of sadness washed over her. The questions of who and why came to mind. Who brought her here? Who sold her? Why her? She longed for Sinbad and the rest of the crew. Their company always soothed her during times like these, when she felt completely lost. A hint of a smile tugged on her lips. The thought of them at that moment, helped her remember where she belongs. _Sinbad even said so last night_, she mused. _I belong with The Nomad. _

She stood up and walked closer to the edge of the cliff. It was windy where they were. She was thankful for the red cloak that Val gave her. She looked down at the dress Jarvis said his father gave to her and for a moment, was thankful for it too. She was not accustomed to so much fabric, but grew a liking to the length of it keeping her legs warm. She turned to the sound of items being placed onto a wooden wagon. From where she stood, she saw Jarvis' servants were preparing to leave. One sat at the front with reigns in hand. He was waiting for them to climb on. She caught him glance at her and saw him quickly turn away. She wondered if he knew anything about her, if he knew of her powers like Jarvis did.

"Bryn." Jarvis got her attention, walking towards her from the house. He stopped beside her, facing the ocean. "I can see why this was my father's favorite place to go." He took in a deep breathe of sea air, clasping his hands behind his back.

"Are they leaving?" Bryn looked to the rest of his servants climbing onto the wagon behind them.

"Yes. They are needed at the main house." Jarvis explained. "We have no need for them now."

"We don't?" Bryn asked, growing curious. She felt like he was up to something, still not wanting to trust him.

He tilted his head towards the house. "Follow me. There is something I want you to see." He turned and started to walk towards the house. Bryn, curious, let herself follow him.

He brought her to his father's study. Bryn took in each corner of the room, realizing, if what Jarvis was saying is true, she most likely has been in that very same room before. She stood still at the center of the room as she watched him make his way behind a large wooden desk.

"My father got into the habit of journal entries." Jarvis explained while pulling out a small key from an inside seam of his jacket. He brought the key to a lock on one of the drawers and opened it. Bryn watched him curiously as he pulled out a leather bound book, a journal. "I've read his most recent entries." He tapped the leather cover of the journal as he spoke and met Bryn's eyes. "This one in particular, has your name scribbled in it a few times."

Bryn stepped forward, curiosity getting the better of her. "May I read it?"

Jarvis smiled. "I will bring it to the house later. Perhaps after the dinner party, once the evening settles? I will join you." He opened up the book and rifled through it quickly. "There is something I wanted to point out and discuss with you right now, though. It was rather interesting."

Bryn kept silent waiting for him to find what he was looking for. As she watched him loose himself into the journal, she suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if he was searching through her drawer of undergarments for a missing item. The journal in his hands may have the answers she desperately seeks about her own life.

"Ah! Here it is." Jarvis caught her eye before reciting it. "_Bryn surprised me on this day. My cabin harbored unwelcomed intruders. They were no other than low-life men with hopes to steal my money. They beat me and held a dagger to my throat, threatening to kill me if I didn't give them what they wanted. Of course, I refused. At the moment, when I thought my life was at its very end, a gust of wind seemed to have flew open my door and in came Bryn. Anger was in her eyes and it happened so fast, I wasn't sure if I was seeing things clearly. Bryn waved a hand in front of her and one of the men looked to have been thrown against the wall. The other man, share the same fate. When I saw that, the second time, I knew that it was her doing. She saved me that night." _Jarvis looked up from the page and raise a brow at Bryn. "You seem to have more abilities than what I witnessed years ago."

What he just read out loud was unknown to her. Bryn stared at the journal in Jarvis' hands and blinked. She was lost in her own thoughts. When her eyes finally met Jarvis', she knew there was something that he wanted.

xxxx

"Anders! You look like a young boy who's never seen a pair of breast before. Shut your mouth." Doubar ordered, leaning close to Anders' ear at their table. They were at _The Serpent's Nest_, one of Carthage's renowned bars. It was well-known mainly for its form of entertainment than their drinks. The bar was two stories. There was drinks and gambling on the first floor and women on the second floor.

Ander had his eyes on one of the women hovering over the rail, soon forgetting about anyone else around him. What pulled his attention away was a whack to his head from behind. It was from Rongar. He rubbed the back of his head at the blow. "Ow! What was that for?" He glared at Rongar.

"You're drooling." Firouz answered for his friend, with a smirk.

Anders smiled to the crew. "Why aren't all ports like this?"

His question was ignored. "It's a good thing Bryn isn't here. I don't think she would like it." Firouz scanned the room, trying not to make any eye contact with any of the women. He soon blushed, realizing, while not making eye contact with them, his eyes landed elsewhere. He did not remember the bar being like this last time they were there.

"Would she be even allowed in here? All I see are the ones that work here." Anders pointed out.

"It is the middle of the afternoon." Doubar replied. "They probably have better things to do."

Sinbad found their table. He pulled out an empty chair and sat down. "Anything?" He looked to his crew. He was referring to any information gathered about Bryn that they may have learned from the locals. The men shook their heads.

"They are not talking." Doubar explained. "Either they don't know, or they just refuse to share."

"Do you think they recognize her, but just don't know her name?" Firouz asked.

"How could that be?" Doubar argued.

"Maybe she wasn't here for that long." Anders pointed out. "Maybe she had a different name."

A commotion upstairs got their attention. Two men were arguing and throwing punches at each other. Eventually, they both stumbled down the staircase, both men wrestling each other in the process. Once they landed, the crew could hear them groan in pain at their injuries. The crew watched the men stand up and stumble away from each other, both obviously losing interest in their disagreement.

"What was that all about?" Anders questioned out loud.

"A woman. It always is."

The crew looked to a man standing over them, who answered Ander's question. Sinbad recognized him. He was one of Riley's soldiers, the same one who directed them to Jarvis Cavadini's house. The soldier dismissed the fight with a wave of his hand. "They always get into it. This happens weekly, it seems. Neither one understanding that she does not care for either of them."

"That's a little sad." Doubar replied.

The soldier got a better look at the crew and recognized who they were. "You are from the ship that arrived yesterday. The Nomad?"

"Yes, that is us." Sinbad confirmed "You're one of the Riley's men?"

"I have to admit that, don't I?" The man smiled with a nod of his head. He gestured toward an empty chair. "May I?"

"Of course." Sinbad reached and pulled the chair out next to him.

"My name is Sam." He introduced himself as he sat down. The crew told him their names in returned. "How do you guys like Carthage?"

"It is growing on me." Ander's was the first to answer. "I've never been to a city like it."

"How long have you lived here?" Sinbad asked. Not wanting to insult the man, he didn't want to express his true feelings of the city and wasn't sure if that would be a good idea.

"All my life." Sam answered. "I wasn't always a soldier though. I used to be a farmer." He glanced around the table, remembering there was someone else in their crew that he expected to be with them. "Aren't you missing someone? The woman who is a part of your crew? Pretty?"

"Bryn." Firouz nodded his head to answer. "She's…well we are not quite sure where she is at. She is with Jarvis Cavadini at the moment."

"I see." Sam understood. "You may not see her for a while then." He grinned.

"Did you recognize her" Sinbad chose to ignore his joke. "We noticed it seemed to be a common occurrence since we arrived here."

"She looked familiar. I will admit to that." Sam answered. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious." Sinbad answered with a shrug.

Sam shook his head in thought. "I could be wrong. It was a long time ago. If she is who I initially thought of, I know she used to live in the Cavadini House." He paused for a moment. "It wouldn't make sense for her to come back though."

"What do you mean by that?" Doubar asked.

"If this is your friend, she was a slave here; once owned by the Cavadini's." Sam explained. His forehead furrowed in deep thought at his own memory. "She was different though; treated differently." He smiled and lifted his hands in defeat. "That is all I remember."

The crew exchanged uneasy glances at what they just heard. "Bryn doesn't have a tattoo." Sinbad pointed out.

"There was a time when the slaves weren't required to be tattooed." Sam reminded him, indicating that it could very well be their friend.

"Do you think she knows?" Anders asked the table.

"If not, she will know soon enough." Sinbad replied. He shook his head in frustration, wishing again that they were with her and at the same time, if he has put her in danger by bring her here, he knew he wouldn't be able to forgive himself. His worry for her hasn't changed since he woke up alone that morning.

"It seems I have given you some bad news." Sam noticed the tension amongst the crew. "That was a long time ago. Jarvis Cavadini's father probably gave her the freedom she needed to leave Carthage when she left. At the time, he was the head of the house. He is gone now. There would be need for her to stay, if that is your worry."

"What if she escaped?" Doubar pointed out.

"Not having a tattoo would be to her advantage." Sam answered. "There would be no definite proof of who she is." He looked to the door, his eyes lit up with recognition. "Excuse me." He stood up and glanced at Sinbad before leaving their table. "I could be wrong. We may be talking about two very different women." He shrugged at turned to meet his friend by the entrance.

Anders was already convinced. He leaned back in his chair and folded his hands in front of him. "I think it was her."

"We know who she is. Bryn is no slave and no one's servant. Anyone who would wish that of her has got to be heartless!" Sinbad lowered his voice, realizing he raised it in frustration. Jarvis' name came immediately to his mind. He saw a few people turn their heads in their direction. "If luck is on our side, everything should be settled with Joey and his father tonight. We leave first thing tomorrow morning." Sinbad informed his crew with a hardened stare.

xxxx

Bryn returned to the stables feeling exhausted. She just spent the past couple hours trying to tap into her powers. After constant efforts, the results did not meet Jarvis' expectations. She tried explaining to him that it doesn't always happen on her command. Frustrated, they rode in silence on the way back to his house and he left her in the stables to herself, explaining he had other matters to see to. She was happy for the time alone and she wasn't ready to go into that house. She found a haystack against one of the empty stall and opted to sit there for a while longer, not just to collect her thoughts, but to distance herself from Jarvis for the time being. This afternoon she learned that underneath all that charm and manners, hidden was an impatient and greedy man.

Soon after she found comfortable seat in the stables, she heard the familiar sound of hooves pounding the earth. Riders were approaching. Not wanting to be seen, she stood up and quickly hid within the shadows of an empty stall towards the back of the stables. The hoof beats grew louder as they got closer. She soon heard boots hitting the dirt and familiar voices that followed it. She peeked from the side of the stall entrance and gave a small sigh of relief. It was the crew. She stepped forward and made herself known with a slight wave.

Firouz noticed Rongar's attention was elsewhere as he was speaking with him. He turned to see what he was looking at and immediately understood. "Bryn! You're back!"

The rest of the crew, who followed shortly into the stables, were surprised to see her there too. Sinbad did a double take once he dismounted his own horse. After Firouz finished securing his horse, he reached for the reigns in Sinbad's hand, letting him know he'd take care of it. Sinbad let go of the reigns and took two large steps towards Bryn to pull her into a hug.

He whispered into her hair. "I've been worried. Are you alright?" He pulled away to look at her, his hands still grasping her arms. He studied her appearance. She did not look well, like she barely got any sleep.

Bryn smiled up at him, happy to see him and the rest of the crew. She realized they all gathered around her and looked to them with her answer. "I am fine." She murmured. "Just a little tired." She gave them a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Sinbad nodded his head, he knew her enough to tell that something was wrong, not wanting to push, he thought to wait to ask about it while they were alone. He stood at her side and placed an arm over her shoulder. "Why don't you come and lay down in my room?" He didn't want her out of his sight.

"Okay." She replied softly. "That sounds like a good idea."

"You will have plenty of time before the dinner party to rest." Firouz pointed out as they all started to walk towards the house.

"Bryn, where did you get that dress? It looks good on you." Anders questioned, eyeing her. He knew everyone else noticed, but decided to be the one to say something.

"Oh, thank you." She glanced at Anders, thrown off by the compliment. "Jarvis gave it to me to wear." She didn't say anything else about it being something his father having given it to her before. She felt Sinbad's hand caress her shoulder as they walked and saw him look her over.

"You do look beautiful in it." He agreed.

She smiled back in return at his kind words. She looked to him and the crew. "Have you guys seen Dermott today?"

"No." Doubar recollected his afternoon. "Come to think of it, not once since we've arrived. When was the last you've seen him, lass?"

"I saw him this morning, just for a little while during our ride to the stone house." Bryn answered.

As the crew entered Jarvis' home, they were greeted by one of his servants. She looked to Sinbad and got his attention by calling his name.

"Yes?" Sinbad asked.

"Mr. Cavadini would like to a have a word with you. I am to take you to him right now." She informed him.

"You go on. I will make sure she's settled in your room." Doubar nodded towards Bryn. He understood Sinbad's hesitation. "See what he wants."

xxxx

The rest of the crew went their separate ways once they entered the guest level of the house. Firouz, joined by Rongar, decided to go explore the library that one of the servants spoke to them about during that morning's breakfast. Anders decided to see if he could find Joey. He was sure he would be back from fishing by now. He wondered how his day was carrying on and if his father has yet to arrive. Doubar decided to stay with Bryn in Sinbad's room.

Doubar gestured towards the perfectly made bed. "Do you want to lie down? I will sit here for a while until Sinbad returns." He pointed to a chair closest to the window.

Bryn cracked a smile as she watched him settle onto the cushioned chair. "You don't need to baby sit me, Doubar. I am not ill. I am just tired." She quickly added before Doubar could interject, "Although, I do enjoy your company." She sat herself onto the bed and propped a pillow behind her back. "Stay and talk with me. I don't think I could fall asleep right now."

Doubar lounged against his chair and placed his hands behind his head in a more relaxed position. He was happy to stay; he was going to do that in the first place. He looked at Bryn and wondered about her day. "You mentioned a stone house earlier. Is that where you and Jarvis were at all day?"

Bryn nodded her head and met Doubar's eyes. She decided to start at the beginning. "Jarvis came to my room last night. He told me I've been here before."

"Oh." Doubar kept quiet as she continued. She told him all she learned this afternoon. How she came to Carthage, Jarvis' father, about the dress that was given to her, the journal and her powers, a ability she has not yet discovered.

Doubar sat up and leaned forward, engrossed in what she was sharing with him. "Bryn! Did you do it? Were you able to move anything across the room?"

"No." She frowned. "I wasn't trying hard enough. Part of me didn't want to do it, not in front of _him_." She emphasized.

Doubar understood. "He makes you nervous?"

"What else would he have me do if he saw me do it?" She asked. "He was too desperate for it. It didn't feel right."

"Not trying hard enough was probably the best choice." Doubar assured her with a smile. "Although, I am sure you wanted to throw something at him for pushing you so hard, right?" He chuckled.

"You have no idea!" She laughed along with him.

xxxx

When Sinbad entered Jarvis' study, he didn't expect to see someone else in there with him. A man stood up from a chair and came forward with extended hand.

"Sinbad, I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Romaldi, Joey's father." Jarvis made introductions with a grin.

Sinbad exhaled a breathe and smiled, he was prepared to get into an argument with Jarvis about that very little chance of Bryn staying behind when they were to depart. Instead, this meeting was about business. He shook Mr. Romaldi's hand. "We meet at last."

"I want to thank you for taking such excellent care for my boy." Mr. Romaldi expressed his gratitude. "I am sorry I was not here to retrieve him when you first arrived."

Jarvis made his way around his desk towards the door during their exchange. "Excuse me. I will leave you two to talk while I make sure everything is in order with my people about tonight's events." Both men nodded in understanding. When he left, he kept the door open.

Sinbad turned back to Joey's father. "Your son is an able seaman. I can imagine a future sailor in your family. Not all my cargo is as helpful." He smiled.

"I can see why his mother spoke highly of you when choosing the captain to do the job." Mr. Romaldi laughed.

"Have you had a chance to see your son?"

"Yes. He certainly has grown since I last saw him! He praised you and your crew earlier. He talked about them with great enthusiasm that I would love to meet then. Will you and your crew be at dinner tonight? It will be a great party!" He asked hopefully.

"I think my crew will hate me if I refuse the invitation." Sinbad expressed with a hint of humor in his eyes. "Plus, I wouldn't want to be rude."

"Good! You are an honored guest!" Mr. Romaldi pulled a coin purse out of his pocket. "This is for your service. Thank you again for bringing him here. Right on schedule too."

"It was my pleasure." Sinbad was more than happy to complete this transaction. With it over with, he knew his responsibilities to Joey were over. Now, he and his crew can definitely be on their way tomorrow morning, as he planned.


End file.
